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Brian Brophil
Real Name: Brian Brophil Aliases: Unrevealed Wanted For: Drug Possession, Smuggling Missing Since: February 12, 1990 Case Details: In August of 1986, Brian Brophil bought a thirty-acre farm in West Glover, Vermont. He claimed that he had made his fortune manufacturing toothbrushes. He soon became close to his neighbors. Nancy Buckley felt that he was very open and friendly. However, according to his neighbors the Medors, he knew nothing about country life, but was willing to learn. They felt that he was likable enough to help him out. He later bought an expensive horse and had them boarded with Peggy DuPont. When Brian paid her in cash, Peggy's husband stated, half-jokingly, that he must be a drug dealer. She did not believe this because he claimed that he had went to the bank first to get the money. Peggy's husband had no idea how right he was. On February 12, 1990, Vermont police, DEA agents, and U.S. Marshals paid a visit to Brian's farm. Inside one of his barns, they found more than two-thousand marijuana plants. At this time, he was with the Medors at their farm in Virginia. At 8:30 am, a friend from Vermont called the Medors and told them about the raid. After making a phone call, he asked them to take him to the airport so he can straighten things out. However, he did not return to Vermont. Investigators were surprised at how sophisticated Brian's drug operation was. He had spared no expense, buying the most high-tech automated irrigation and lighting systems. A heating system sheltered the plants from Vermont's harsh winters. It was creating Brian $250,000 a month. Investigator Andre LaBier searched through his home but could find little information about his past. He had only one criminal conviction for drunk driving. LaBier decided to contact INTERPOL, expecting that Brian was wanted for something. He found that Brian was a mastermind behind a large drug empire. He initially began smuggling in the late 1970s. Initially, he traveled to Southeast Asia and smuggled small amounts of narcotics by taping them to his body. By the time he reached Vermont, he had created one of the world's largest drug smuggling networks. An informant told LaBier that Brian was going to smuggle $20 million worth of heroin into the United States, perhaps on the Oregon coast. However, they could not pin down the exact location or time. It is believed that Brian is still involved in drug smuggling. Extra Notes: The case was featured as a part of the August 25, 1993 episode. Results: Captured. Viewers from Paso Robles, California were shocked to realize that Brian was one of their neighbors. Local authorities immediately moved in to make an arrest, only to discover that he had disappeared. It is believed that Brian watched the broadcast and fled. He left all of his personal belongings behind. While in Paso Robles, he lived under the assumed name "Brian Jenkins". He worked at local horse ranches. After he fled Paso Robles, viewer's tips helped authorities track him to Carlsbad. He was arrested there on December 19, 1993. Three weeks later, he was extradited back to Vermont. He was found guilty on drug possession and smuggling charges. He was sentenced to twelve years in prison. He served seven years and has since been released. Links: * Fugitive convicted on drug charges * U.S. v. Brophil (1995) * United States v. Brian Brophil (1996) ---- Category:Vermont Category:1986 Category:1990 Category:Smuggling Category:Drug-Related Cases Category:Captured